Blue Funk
by MarauderMerry
Summary: (sorta A/U)Vash and company come upon the hottest town on the map. Then they meet the hottest outlaw on the market (besides Vash.) A great story with bounty hunters, spicy alcohol, and a new friend. R&R!


Blue Funk  
  
  
  
Written by; AngelOfDeathShini  
  
  
  
Disclaimer; I do not own Trigun and I do not make any money off of it. I'm completely broke, believe me... This isn't really one of my better stories. I think I let loose to much information about the character in one episode. I would have liked to spread all of Gami's information out for Vash and everyone to find out in later episodes. But I AM obsessed with Trigun. The first episode in this story starts right after the movie titled 'Wolfwood'. Since Trigun movies usually consist of three episodes, my story is also three episodes. This is also a Trigun song, get it on Kazaa or Morpheus or whatever you have. By the way, the little paragraphs before each episode is what Vash would say about it, as he does when he's telling about the next episode. See if you can understand them. Rated; R (language, blood content, and womanizers.)  
  
  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
  
  
Signs come in many forms, in many ways, many times. A kindred spirit is always a relief for a lonely past, unresolved. Unexpected turns are welcome in an adventurous heart. but one that seeks freedom will probably never learn from other's mistakes. If you look around hard enough, you'll find someone you can learn from eventually. All of the answers become a little bit clearer when I meet Gami. the Untouchable.  
  
  
  
  
  
Episode 1 - Gami the Untouchable  
  
  
  
  
  
It was the worst kind of day. It was 12 o'clock am, and the two suns lashed their cruel and unforgiving whips of hot, white light directly above the city of Avril. The heat was almost too much to bear, and the town clinic was over-flowing with people suffering from mild dehydration to deadly heat strokes. The dust rose and settled in the wind, but cool breezes where like fleeting daydreams in this wasteland of sand and stones. On the blurry horizon a figure appeared, like red ink spilling on a blue sheet. The tall figure walked with three companions next to him, all varying in height and color, which was all the individual at the fountain could see.  
  
The figure was covered in a coal-gray colored overcoat at least three sizes too big, which was pulled by long fingers over it's face and body. People passing by glanced at the stranger but did not stare, this being a small and polite town, but all wondered how this person could stand being bundled up in a huge overcoat that was clearly baking it alive. But they all knew the stranger was conserving moisture by not exposing flesh, therefore not letting the twin suns evaporate precious sweat through his/her skin. Ways to protect yourself against the suns' rays was common knowledge on this planet. After watching the travelers walk past, the unidentified person stood up and walked into a nearby building, finally seeking refuge from the unbearable warmth.  
  
The four comrades walked through the town, and entered a large inn with green shutters. They stopped at the desk and spoke to the red-faced man behind the counter, who was dabbing his forehead with a white swab.  
  
"Hello, sir! We would like two rooms for two nights, if you please!" said Meryle, placing her hands on the counter.  
  
Millie didn't seem to be holding up as well as the others. she wasn't sweating, which meant she wasn't being cooled, so her face was incredibly red and she seemed very weary as she sank down in a chair. Wolfwood had taken pity on her and was now trying to fan her face with one of the brochures that he had borrowed from the front desk.  
  
"The finest in the house!" declared Vash, who was sweating a bit, but was not half as hot as the rest of the group.  
  
Meryle turned her head to give Vash one of her looks. The heat had made her glow, so the added redness to her face made her look extra scary. at least in Vash's eyes.  
  
"We can't afford that! And even if we could, you'd probably destroy it anyway." sneered Meryle, unpleasant memories surfacing in her mind.  
  
"Aww, come on! We've been staying at crappy rooms for days! Can't we splurge just this once?" pleaded Vash.  
  
"WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF CASH!! YOU DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY, SO SHUT-UP!!" bellowed Meryle.  
  
Vash fell on his back, his ears shot to Hell, and Meryle turned back to the clerk, who seemed a bit nervous. Vash found it astounding that such a loud and commanding voice could come from such a small woman. Her already bad tolerance for Vash's annoyance was at an all-time low. Vash crawled off of the floor and leaned over to Wolfwood, who had given Millie a glass of water and was now making sure that she drank it all.  
  
"Hey, is it just me, or does she seem a little more bitchy than usual?" whispered Vash.  
  
"Well you have been complaining an awful lot, and she and Millie have to pay for everything." said Wolfwood with his usual careless tone.  
  
"You're supposed to be on my side!" whined Vash, his eyes tearing.  
  
"Says who?" said Wolfwood, shaking Vash off of his arm.  
  
".You're the one who's following us!" pouted Vash.  
  
"I am NOT following you!! We just happen to be going the same way and I couldn't afford a full room so I had to split it with you!" yelled Wolfwood defensively.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood glowered at each other until the concierge gave Meryle their room keys. A miniature black cat with ominous green eyes walked across Wolfwood's feet and scratched up his boots. He kicked it out the door.  
  
"Okay, we got our rooms!" yelled Millie, waving her and Meryle's room key in the air, obviously feeling much better.  
  
After the four of them got settled in their rooms, Meryle shut herself and poor Millie in their room to write their extensive reports on all of the destruction caused by Vash the Stampede. in the last three days. Wolfwood and Vash, having nothing better to do, were 'forced' to retire at the nearest bar.  
  
But on their way, the scent of freshly baked donuts caused Vash's legs to move without orders from the brain. No matter how hard Wolfwood pulled, pushed, or even tackled, Vash was set on the thought of fresh, fluffy donuts sliding down his throat and into his empty stomach. Their skirmish attracted the eyes of strangers, but most tried hard to ignore their antics.  
  
"Come on, Wolfwood! Just one box! It doesn't cost THAT much!" pleaded Vash.  
  
"Alright, fine. and stop drooling on my shoes." Wolfwood said to Vash, who was facing the ground at the brink of tears.  
  
"YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!! Here I come, my little babies!" yelled Vash, running up to the pastry shop, leaving Wolfwood with a sweat drop.  
  
  
  
Vash emerged from the shop a while later with a box of creamy chocolate donuts. He sat down on a wooden bench in front of an old, dried-up fountain. On the other side of the fountain was a truck, so old and rusty you could hardly make out its sickening shade of green. Vash opened his box of donuts with great delicacy, savoring every moment, and started eating them. Wolfwood ambled over casually and sat next to him, crossing his legs. He ran one large hand through his almost-dark blue colored hair and looked over at Vash. He hardly seemed to be taking in air after every donut.  
  
"Hey, do you think you could take it easy? You're embarrassing me!" said Wolfwood, covering his face.  
  
Vash swallowed five donuts in his puffed-out cheeks. "Sorry!"  
  
Vash continued eating, (a bit more slowly), while Wolfwood watched two burly-looking men come out of the nearest bar carrying empty wooden cartons that Wolfwood assumed to have once held beer. They approached the green truck and Wolfwood, quite unintentionally, picked up on their conversation.  
  
  
  
".Outlaw that was supposed to be seen near this town." Wolfwood caught one of them saying.  
  
Vash spat out the donut he was chewing onto the sand. Wolfwood silenced him and leaned back, trying to act casual, to listen.  
  
"Yeah. I here she's worth fifteen mil?" sneered the second.  
  
Vash let out a sigh of relief. He and Wolfwood still listened, but with less caution.  
  
"Yeah. what's she called again?" said the first man, beginning to haul on the empty cartons into the truck's trunk.  
  
"Gami, something.." mumbled the second man, helping the first one.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Gami the Untouchable."  
  
Wolfwood lit a bent cigarette.  
  
"What is she wanted for? I mean, she's supposed to be just a little kid, ain't she?" asked the second man, seeming like he was very interested in what the other had to say.  
  
"I heard she robbed the Defense Bank of December. she stole a hundred thousand double dollars!" snickered the first man.  
  
"No way! The Defense Bank of December is supposed the highest security bank in the world!" yelled the second man.  
  
"I know. and they say this girl is only supposed to be about nineteen years old!" laughed the first man.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood glanced at each other, disbelief and curiosity written all over their faces.  
  
"You wanna' here the weirdest part?" whispered the first man.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood leaned their necks back instinctively.  
  
"She's had at least two hundred bounty hunters come after her in a year. and none of them have EVER been able to touch her. hence the name." the first man said with a hint of skepticism.  
  
Vash breathed a small gasp, wondering if he should really believe this. Wolfwood narrowed his eyes and exhaled a thick wave of smoke.  
  
"Are you kidding?!" shouted the second guy, a loud thud hinting that he had dropped one of the empty wooden crates.  
  
"Nope. she's never been shot, stabbed, or even punched. no one even SAW her rob the bank in December!" grinned the first man.  
  
"How did they find out it was her then?" asked the second man.  
  
"I think someone saw her actually carrying all of the money in a huge sack right after the robbery was announced. Not a real mastermind at get-aways', huh?" said the first guy in an amused tone.  
  
"Yeah. well, I hope we don't mistake her for some whore on the street!" laughed the second guy cruelly.  
  
Both gunmen frowned.  
  
"Ha Hah! Yeah! Then we'll forget to shoot her!" the first man laughed.  
  
Suddenly, a whole bench came flying out of no where and hit the two men to the ground, knocking them unconscious.  
  
"What pigs." sneered Vash, tossing his empty donut box into an almost-full trash can.  
  
"Total jerks." scoffed Wolfwood, also dropping in his burnt-out cigarette.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood soon came to a run-down, dusty bar with the sign outside almost falling off. As they entered, Wolfwood noticed it was quite small, but as long as it had alcohol, both he and Vash weren't complaining. The bar tender adverted his gaze towards the two new customers, but his eyes dwelt on Vash. In fact, Vash felt as if the whole bar was watching him intently. He had felt like this before, many times before, but he had only realized it just now. He brushed it off as paranoia. people were always coming after him, so he practically had to be a little wary. But still. as he and Wolfwood sat down, and the other customers went back to their drinks and their conversations. he felt truly distant from the human world.  
  
  
  
After a couple of hours and a couple of drinks, Vash's thoughts on his lack of acceptance had completely left his mind. In fact, most of his thoughts had left his mind.  
  
"Alright!! Gimme' another!" yelled Vash as he gulped down another drink.  
  
"Ya' know, there's a fine line between self-control and self-abuse!" shouted Wolfwood, a smile playing across his thin lips. It was always hard for him to get drunk. not like he tried or anything, it just didn't happen that often.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash were silenced by the sound of the wooden doors of the saloon opening and closing slowly. Boots clunked on the wooden floor, making Vash expect a hefty cowboy to appear in the corner of his eye. Instead, he saw a young girl in a large, dark gray trench coat and wild platinum-blonde hair that ended at her hips. She had bright sapphire eyes like Vash's own and a wide mouth with less-than-full lips. Her nose was perfect, her face was narrow, and her whole complexion gave her a very regal beauty. she held herself with the elegance and superiority of a duchess, despite her raggedy cloak and disheveled hair.  
  
Vash caught all of this with one eyeful, his ability to notice everything with but a glance really came in handy, especially with the pretty faces of young females, he thought with a smile. She walked slowly past Vash and Wolfwood and sat down at a table with her back facing the two men. A waiter approached her and she muttered orders under her breath. The waiter nodded and left her side.  
  
"Whoa! Check out the babe in the trench coat!" smiled Wolfwood, his chin in his hand as he watched the back of the young stranger.  
  
"She's carrying seven guns." breathed Vash, taking another drink.  
  
"What? How did you notice that?" asked Wolfwood, adverting his gaze to Vash once again.  
  
"She has two on each leg, one on her back, and two at the sides of her chest. Why do you think a little girl like that needs all those arms?" said Vash seriously.  
  
"I don't know. she could have someone after her." said Wolfwood in a mysterious tone.  
  
"Possibly. I think it is only our duty to offer our protection. ya' know, as an extra precaution." said Vash, beginning to blush with his normal, stupid grin.  
  
"As a man of God, how can I refuse a young woman in distress?" grinned Wolfwood.  
  
Both men got out of their chairs unobtrusively and walked over to the woman's table.  
  
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" asked Vash, with his usual macho air when around a pretty girl.  
  
The woman glared up at Vash. The human typhoon suddenly felt like he was staring into his own eyes, they looked so alike. Vash felt a rejection coming on, but the girl only smirked and waved her hand, inviting the two men to sit down. Wolfwood and Vash smiled with glee and sat down next to her. Wolfwood was right across from her face.  
  
"You looked like you could use a little company. my name's Nicholas D. Wolfwood, might I ask yours?" Wolfwood asked smugly.  
  
The woman looked at Wolfwood but didn't smile.  
  
"Gami." she said in a low voice that seemed a lot older than her appearance suggested.  
  
"Gami .Gaaaaaaaammiiiiiiii. where have I heard that name before?" said Vash, off in his thoughts.  
  
"Gami the. Untouchable?" asked Wolfwood, a little taken aback.  
  
Gami smirked again.  
  
"That's right! You were that woman those men outside were talking about before!" said Vash in a hushed whisper.  
  
Gami narrowed her eyes at Vash, but he just smiled.  
  
"Maybe I should turn you in and get the fifteen million double dollars." grinned Vash.  
  
"Maybe I should turn YOU in and get the sixty BILLION double dollars. Vash the Stampede." Gami said, pointing her finger at Vash like a gun and grinning.  
  
Vash's eyes went unnaturally wide and he shushed Gami in a panic. Wolfwood stared at her, wondering if she really would turn Vash in. But then Gami smiled.  
  
"It's alright. I won't turn you in if you don't turn me in. And that goes for you too, preacher man, you look like an accomplice." smiled Gami, now pointing to Wolfwood.  
  
"How'd you know I was a priest?" asked Wolfwood.  
  
"I watched you walk into town with that huge cross hung over your shoulder. So, I figured, you were either a minister or some weirdo with an obsession for crosses." said Gami, crossing her legs.  
  
"Very observant..." said Wolfwood, rubbing the bristle on his chin.  
  
"Oh I'm not as great as Vash here, he noticed I was carrying about seven guns, even with my coat on! But I'm afraid your calculations were not entirely correct. It's more like eleven. would you like to see them?" asked Gami, standing up.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash stared as Gami took off her coat, revealing a rusty brown leather vest that was held together with black laces lined on her collar and up her sides, stopping slightly above her elbow. She had two pieces of one long sniper pistol, both sections stopping at her elbow. Her belt hid three small derringer guns.  
  
"This jacket is so hot in this heat. but I don't want skin cancer, that'd be just great." mumbled Gami to herself, hanging her coat on the back of her chair. People in the bar were starting to take notice.  
  
A short, white skirt that was sandy and torn at the edges hung loosely on her hips. Her legs must have weighed a ton, for she had two small shotguns on the outsides of both her thighs, two black and white 6-shooters on the outsides of both her calves, and large black boots with strapping and buckles on various parts. She wore black, cotton arm protectors that stopped at her knuckles with a thin strap around her middle finger. Blue sapphires decorated her wrists, ears, and neck. Gami sat down again and shifted in her seat.  
  
"It's so uncomfortable. I should sell some of these." muttered Gami as she took off the huge gun on her back and slammed it on the table, making it shake.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash were speechless. Gami noticed their looks and waved her hand.  
  
"I need protection, ya' know! I've had to escape twelve bounty hunters this month alone! They thought cause' I'm a woman that I'd just roll over. but I showed them." grinned Gami, crossing her arms.  
  
"Ahh, speaking of protection, how would you like a hired guard?" said Vash in his womanizing voice.  
  
"Or two?" Wolfwood said smoothly.  
  
Gami laughed. Wolfwood and Vash looked slightly put-down  
  
"No offense guys, but I don't need any help. although I have a pretty good feeling of which part of me you would like to guard." said Gami with her eyebrow raised in suspicion.  
  
"What?! But I would never dream of doing something like that!" yelled Wolfwood, slightly red.  
  
"We are complete gentlemen, I assure you!" said Vash, waving his hands.  
  
"Yeah, right. even if you were, I already told you that I don't need your help. I can take care of myself." said Gami in a tone that closed the argument for good.  
  
Just then the waiter came back with their drinks. Gami's drink was a long, foaming red ale. Vash and Wolfwood stared at her as she chugged down half the glass.  
  
"Uhh, aren't you a little young to be drinking?" said Vash with his eyebrow raised.  
  
"I'm twenty-four, jack-ass." muttered Gami.  
  
"Hey, whoa, sorry! It's just you look so, umm, young! and, ahhh, I mean, uh." stuttered Vash.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. everyone assumes I'm at least eighteen. It's okay, I don't mind at all." said Gami, sipping her drink again.  
  
"That must be rough." said Wolfwood, lighting a cigarette.  
  
"Cigarettes' are bad for you, ya' know. Especially in this kind of climate. you could die." said Gami with a grin.  
  
"Guess I'll see you in Hell than." snickered Wolfwood before he inhaled.  
  
Gami laughed, but Vash glanced at her with a solemn face.  
  
"So what are you running from?" asked Vash, taking a swig from his glass bottle of beer.  
  
Gami turned angrily to Vash, but her features softened in his warm eyes. Vash fixed Gami with the type of look that would make anyone trust him.  
  
"I'm. not really running, but. If you really want to know, I'll tell you. " started Gami, fiddling with the bottom of her long glass.  
  
Wolfwood stared at Gami and gulped down the rest of his beer.  
  
"I suppose this all started with my childhood. My mother and father never treated me or loved me like a real daughter. They always acted as if I was a stranger, a freak of nature. They were cold, and. well, you probably get the idea. And it wasn't just my family, my whole city seemed to treat me as if I was..." said Gami, seeming very interested in her finger nail all of a sudden.  
  
Vash narrowed his eyes and stared fixedly at Gami. she was hiding something. Wolfwood lit another cigarette.  
  
"My brother was violent. he would shoot at me and miss purposely, but it sure scared the shit out of me. I am thankful for one thing. he did teach me how to shoot. He left us when he was sixteen, I was only ten. last I heard, he settled down somewhere in November and raised a family. Would've never expected it.  
  
"I still loved my parents, deep down. but they never even let me out of the house, which is probably what hurt me the most. When I was twenty, I finally left, but didn't start robbing for money until I was twenty-one. That's when I got a bounty on my head and a title for my speed. I haven't robbed since, but they still come after me. And the longer I remain un- caught, the higher the price'll get." sighed Gami, sipping her drink.  
  
"Running away never solves anything." said Wolfwood, his arms crossed and his eyes closed.  
  
Gami narrowed her sapphire eyes at Wolfwood. She was facing his shoulder, even though he was sitting right across from her, for he was looking at the bar as he smoked his cigarette.  
  
"No, it doesn't. But I'm not running from my family. because they aren't pursuing me." glared Gami.  
  
Wolfwood unfolded his arms slowly as he stared impassively at Gami.  
  
"That's right. the only reason I'm being chased after is because I stole a hundred thousand double dollars from the highest security bank in the world. My family didn't come looking for me when I left four years ago. Not that I care much." sighed Gami, looking at Vash.  
  
Vash smiled at Gami.  
  
"Do you share these stories with everyone you meet?" Vash asked nicely.  
  
Gami looked at Vash for a while.  
  
"No. but you seem like a good person, despite the rumors of your terrible actions. I'm willing to go against the grain and not let rumors shape my opinion of people. Wolfwood, you're a bit rough around the edges for a priest, don't you think?" asked Gami with a smile.  
  
"Heh heh. you think so, huh? Does it bother you?" laughed Wolfwood.  
  
"On the contrary. I like that in a man." grinned Gami, her chin resting on the back of her hands.  
  
Wolfwood raised his eyebrow in query, but Vash ended it with a wave of red alcohol coming from his mouth, drenching Wolfwood's left arm.  
  
"EEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!! What the Hell IS this stuff?!" screamed Vash, holding Gami's empty glass with one hand and his throat with the other. It seemed as though his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had tried Gami's drink.  
  
Gami grabbed the glass out of his hand and filled it with water from her canteen. She gave it to Vash, who made it disappear with one swig as he fell to the floor. He was twitching madly, but managed to pick himself up to his seat. Wolfwood hit him on the top of his head for getting him wet, and he fell to the floor again.  
  
"It's called a Fire Geranium. It's a bit hot, but I love spicy foods. and drinks!" smiled Gami.  
  
".Geranium?" said Vash rather hoarsely, wiping his mouth as he climbed into his chair.  
  
"Yeah. now, if you'll excuse me boys. I need to be going. Can't stay to long in one place, I'm sure you understand..." said Gami, getting out of her chair and putting back on her jacket.  
  
"Well, it was nice meeting you!" waved Wolfwood.  
  
"I hope we meet again!" shouted Vash as Gami walked away.  
  
"I'm sure we will. Vash the Stampede!!" yelled back Gami before running out the door.  
  
The whole bar's reaction to this simple phrase was implausible.  
  
"-VASH THE STAMPEDE?!?!-Run for your lives!!-It's the Humanoid Typhoon!!-" screamed various people in the bar as they all stumbled outside, knocking down everything as they fled in a cloud of dust.  
  
Vash stood in the middle of the empty bar, the sound of Gami's laughter slowly dying.  
  
"Well. that wasn't very nice." whined Vash while Wolfwood was in a fit of laughter on the floor. Vash stomped on his face. The bar tender kicked them both out.  
  
  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
  
  
No one likes to be trapped, but sometimes it's inevitable. If by chance you do escape, the road to true freedom is long, and a shared feeling is like unloading a heavy burden on that road. A new friend may teach you more about yourself. A caged bird is never satisfied. But if you can satisfy that bird. you just might be a new friend. I discover one for myself in the mysterious girl. who's really a woman.  
  
  
  
Episode 2 - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings  
  
  
  
Night had finally fallen, and Wolfwood and Vash were in their room, cleaning and fixing their guns. Vash was humming to a steady tune and trying to fix his large white gun, which had developed an odd recoil more likely suited for double gage shotgun. His red coat was hanging on a large, blunt nail. Wolfwood was shirtless, and he felt a lot cooler without that dark blazer absorbing every ounce of light into his skin. While he polished one of his 6-shooters', Wolfwood looked out the window at the fountain in the middle of the street. Something about that fountain made him think. it was odd that someone would put a perfectly good water fountain in such a dry place. Of course, it looked like it was 'perfectly good' about ten years ago, but it still stood, cracking at the edges, covered in dust.  
  
Everything on this planet was covered in dust.  
  
Vash leaned back in his chair as he scratched a black cat on his lap with bizarre green eyes. The cat purred in his lap. even it found warmth in Vash's caring touch.  
  
"Myyooow."  
  
"I'm booooooored. Nothings happening." whined Vash, putting down his gun, giving up for the moment.  
  
"You WANT someone to blow the room up and start shooting at you?" asked Wolfwood in an amused tone.  
  
"No... But it does seem weird. I know this is a small town and everything, but haven't you noticed how quiet it is? Not a sound! Even in the daylight, there were no children on the street, no neighbors visiting. nothing." said Vash sitting up straight and moving his hands as he spoke.  
  
"You know, I'm beginning to question your humanity. did you even FEEL the heat today? I don't see how anyone could stand to be outside in that." Wolfwood said with a normal voice, although his eyes questioned him.  
  
Vash turned his head abruptly and twiddled his gun holster with his long and narrow fingers. Of course, the heat. he had forgotten. Although he hadn't felt the full blast of it, Wolfwood would surely suspect something. But the priest just smiled and went back to his gun repair.  
  
"Haven't had a disaster in a while." Vash murmured, while he knocked hard on the wooden table, causing it to splinter.  
  
"Come ON, Tongari! Give it a rest! Instead of complaining, I think you should count your blessings!" said Wolfwood, setting his finely polished handgun on the table and picking up a different one to clean.  
  
  
  
".Yeah. your probably ri-" Vash stopped.  
  
  
  
An explosion outside interrupted Vash. He sprinted to the window, Wolfwood looking shocked in his chair. In the darkness they could see guns going off and shouts of excitement. or was it pain?  
  
"HA! I knew it wouldn't last! Trouble always seems to catch up with you!" yelled Wolfwood, standing up a little too fast. His head swam for a moment, remnants of the alcohol still affecting him.  
  
"Hey, is it my fault?!" yelled back Vash, opening the window.  
  
"It might be!" shouted Wolfwood, climbing out after him.  
  
He and Vash slid down the roof. They both went flat on their chests and peered over the edge. Vash noticed that there were about ten men shooting at the old fountain, which had one figure behind it, sitting down and not shooting back. They both jumped down from the roof and onto the street. They hid behind the corner of the inn, closest to the figure being fired upon.  
  
"HEY! Vash! Wolfwood! Over here!!" yelled the person being shot at.  
  
"It's Gami!" shouted Vash in disbelief.  
  
"What is she doing?!" yelled Wolfwood, startling Vash with his angry nature.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood dove behind the fountain with Gami, Vash dodging bullets like an idiot.  
  
"Who are those guys?!" screamed Vash, trying to stuff bullets in his gun while staring at Gami.  
  
"Bounty hunters, who else?" Gami said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Why aren't you shooting at them?" shouted Wolfwood over the gunfire.  
  
"I might kill them in this darkness. it's practically pitch black! All of the moons are new!" yelled Gami with a frown.  
  
"But they're trying to kill you!" Wolfwood yelled back.  
  
"No. I'm wanted alive! Unless someone's trying to kill me, there's no way I can kill them! And even if they are trying to kill me, I don't think I could bring myself to do it," said Gami, dodging a bullet as it whizzed by her head.  
  
"Why not?!" yelled Wolfwood.  
  
"Because. unless you can give life, you can't take life!" yelled Gami.  
  
Vash's eyes widened in the tiniest matter and Wolfwood rolled his eyes as he secretly thought to himself, 'Not another one.'. Vash saw confusion and anger carved into Gami's young face as she put on a slightly floppy dark blue hat that held all of her hair up and hid half of her face in darkness. Suddenly, she was on the other side of the fountain, almost too quick for even Vash to follow. The firing stopped. Wolfwood put his face in his hand.  
  
"Fine. You got me." sighed Gami, her hands up in the air.  
  
The bounty hunters chuckled and slowly moved to one side. A tall, lanky man in a dark blue suit with dark green curly hair stepped out with his gun pointed at Gami. He was kind of good-looking, despite his numerous scars, but his hollow and deep-set eyes made him look wicked.  
  
"So whose the lucky man?" sneered Gami, switching her hips.  
  
"Heh heh heh. Rush. Rush Versailles. I finally caught you, Gami Melfienna Arrowings!" sneered Versailles in an icy voice.  
  
"Versailles. where have I heard that name before??" pondered Gami in fake wonder.  
  
"HA! You've read my name in every newspaper on the planet! I've caught more criminals this month than you've avoided bounty hunters this whole year! They call me Rush Rushes. the Butcher of Bad!" laughed Versailles.  
  
"I grow tired of foolish nicknames and idiotic titles. Just let me ask you this, Mr. Versailles. have you ever been shot?" asked Gami with the air of a smart-ass.  
  
"Of course! I've been through countless battles, and have suffered many wounds in my victo-!" Versailles started boasted.  
  
"Well. I haven't." interrupted Gami.  
  
Gami lunged at Versailles and reached for her chest. She pulled a thin dagger out from between her breasts and swung it at Versailles face with a quick flick of her wrist. He jumped backwards, but not quickly enough to avoid a new scar across his neck.  
  
She did all of this in about three seconds. Wolfwood and Vash let out a yell of joyful surprise.  
  
"You little bitch!" shouted Versailles, looking at his bloody hand after he had felt his wound.  
  
"Only rude men who are losing call women bitches, Versailles!" laughed Gami, moving her feet like a boxer would during a match.  
  
Gami jumped in the air briefly to grab the two shotguns on the outsides of each thigh. She leapt behind a car with a front flip and fired four powerful shots at Versailles. He leapt behind the truck he and his henchmen showed up in and started firing rounds out of his own supply of guns. When both Gami and Versailles finished their first round of bullets, Gami tried to run and duck behind the fountain again, but Versailles already had a small one-shooter gun pointed at her back before she could reach it.  
  
"HA! Looks like I've won!" shouted Versailles.  
  
Gami's eyes looked around everywhere, searching for something to help her. Her eyes lit up with an idea and she grinned.  
  
"Sorry, Versailles. but even if you do beat me, you'll go down anyway." sneered Gami.  
  
"Is that right? And how?" cackled Versailles.  
  
"Because. Vash the Stampede is right behind this fountain." smiled Gami, jutting her thumb to behind her back.  
  
Wolfwood gasped and Vash looked a little above the fountain to see what she was getting at. He saw Versailles start to shake with fear. He glanced at Gami, who gave him the peace sign behind her back. At once he understood her plans, and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Y-You're lying." stuttered Versailles.  
  
"Wanna' bet?" sneered Gami, leaning foreword.  
  
Suddenly, Vash stood up and jumped on top of the dry fountain.  
  
"Yes, it is me, the Humanoid Typhoon who has slaughtered innumerable people, destroyed countless cities.!!" rambled on Vash in an idiotic pose.  
  
Most of Versailles henchmen ran and Versailles didn't look too far off. Gami grinned with triumph. Vash was still rambling.  
  
  
  
'At least he got some of the underlings to ditch.' thought Gami.  
  
  
  
"You. you're." murmured Versailles, white as a ghost.  
  
"Yes, it is me, the Humanoid Typhoon who-" Vash started repeating.  
  
"I THINK HE GETS IT!!" yelled Wolfwood, shaking his fist.  
  
Versailles suddenly bowed his head and slowly started laughing. Gami narrowed her eyes.  
  
"What's so funny, Versailles? Do you always laugh in the face of death?" sneered Gami.  
  
"What proof do you have that this is the real Vash the Stampede?!" laughed Versailles.  
  
"He fits the description, doesn't he?! Red coat, blonde hair, large silver gun?!" Gami yelled. She didn't like being challenged.  
  
"Any idiot could have these things. I want a proof of skill!" demanded Versailles, pointing to the ground.  
  
Vash just then remembered. he had taken out part of his gun, therefore it would not shoot. He made one of his most sheepish smiles and stood on one foot.  
  
"Hehe. it's broke!" said Vash, pointing to his gun.  
  
If looks could kill, Vash would be a dead man, for he had never had such a violent stare fixed on him like the one Gami was fixing on him right now. It was worse than Meryle. He meekly jumped back down to his former position behind the fountain with Wolfwood. Gami had a sweat drop. She slowly reached for the huge rifle on her back.  
  
"Well. okay then." Gami shrugged.  
  
She brought the rifle in front of her as quick as lightning and fired a shot which Versailles dodged. The bullet hit the general store behind him and destroyed the entrance.  
  
"What the Hell kinda' rifle is that?!" shouted one of Versailles cronies.  
  
Gami and Versailles jumped back to their former positions and kept firing.  
  
'Well, that didn't work much.' Gami thought miserably.  
  
  
  
They both fired at each other for a long time, sometimes changing objects to hide behind. When Gami was down to one shot on each of her pistols and Versailles had a whole round of bullets left for his machine gun, Vash tried to stand up. Wolfwood pulled him back down. They had both been counting gunshots and knew what had happened.  
  
"She'll kill herself! He's got a lot more bullets than she does! And look at her. she's hardly breathing!" yelled Vash.  
  
Gami did indeed look tired, and then could hear her heavy breathing from their position, twenty feet away.  
  
"She'll be okay. I have a feeling she has hidden reserves of strength. Just watch!" hissed Wolfwood, reassuring himself just as much as he was reassuring his friend.  
  
Vash groaned in resentment, but stayed were he was and waited to see what they would do. Gami fired another shot at Versailles, but missed. This shot made both Vash and Wolfwood gasp. it was imprudent and they hadn't expected it from her.  
  
"Ha! You have one shot left, Arrowings! You'd better make it a good one!" laughed Versailles insanely.  
  
Wolfwood expected some spectacular move made by Gami, but instead he saw another foolish shot that missed and hit the gas tank of the car Versailles was hiding behind, causing the oil to spill out onto the sand.  
  
'What is she doing?!' thought Vash.  
  
"She's screwed." muttered Wolfwood with his face in his palm.  
  
"HA HAH HA HAAA! That was it?! You are not living up to your reputation, Gami the Untouchable!" laughed Versailles, standing up from behind the car that was covered in bullet holes.  
  
He looked up to see Gami standing on the top of the truck she was, up until that time, hiding behind. both pistols in her hands, pointed at the bounty hunter. Versailles shook his head in disappointment as he took a few steps forward. He stopped just ten feet in front of her, one of his steel-plated boots standing in the spilled oil.  
  
"Come now, Gami! Suicide is such an ugly thing. I know you have no more bullets left!" sighed Versailles.  
  
"Wrong." Gami said quickly.  
  
No sooner had Versailles cocked his eyebrow than Gami had fired a miraculous shot at the steel plate on Versailles' boot. It made a small spark which instantly set the oil ablaze. Versailles had no time to escape as he was engulfed in a mushroom of flames. Gami jumped off of the truck and rolled onto the ground. She did a few front flips and leaped hands- first at Versailles. She tackled him out of the flames, the shock of another explosion sending them even farther. His car blew up in a mushroom loud of flames, leaving the rest of his nearby henchmen unconscious. The fire spread quickly, since the town was to dry from the heat.  
  
"Why. y-you little." snarled Versailles, his skin almost burnt.  
  
Gami took out an unknown round of bullets from her large brown belt and inserted it into the gun barrel of the pistol she hadn't shot yet. She cocked it and pointed it at Versailles' torso.  
  
"You almost got me. Well, not really. maybe if I wasn't drunk, I wouldn't have had to call on my friend Vash back there! Lucky for me. I got a little more sober with every shot." snickered Gami.  
  
"You. w-were. a-a-re.!" stammered Versailles.  
  
Gami shot him in his chest and he fell backwards onto the sand, the echo of the gunshot resounding on and on, ceaselessly. She took a few deep breaths and shot the rest of the conscious henchmen. She adverted her gaze to Vash, who was in a coma of shock. She smiled victoriously.  
  
"Damn. what a thrill! Good thing I got em' when I did, the bastard's would have really ki-" Gami never finished.  
  
She heard the very feint sound of a gun being cocked. She blinked for a second and ran up to Vash.  
  
"Get out of the way, idiot!" screamed Gami.  
  
She pushed Vash out of the way just in time. One follower of Versailles' who was still awake fired a single shot aimed at Vash, but Gami leaped in the way and took the bullet in her arm. Her knees buckled and she fell, but not before unloading one last shot at the man who had shot her. As soon as she tumbled, Vash was at her side, ripping up the end of her coat. She was shaking with pain. it felt like a thousand knives were racing in her whole nervous system.  
  
"Hey. why are you ripping up my coat.?" Gami smiled weakly, her face white with pain.  
  
Vash didn't answer, his face was clenched in a frown that said quite plainly that he was infuriated. the expression seemed out of place on his good-natured face.  
  
"You said. you would never kill.!" started Vash, his anger growing.  
  
"Vash, please. I-" started Gami.  
  
"There's no excuse!!" growled Vash, tapering Gami's bandages painfully tight.  
  
Gami's face softened and she gave Vash a small smile. She turned to Wolfwood, who stood over her with mixed emotions.  
  
"Wolfwood. be a dear and unload my gun, will you?" asked Gami, her teeth clenched in pain.  
  
Wolfwood reluctantly bent over and picked up one of Gami's guns, a new cigarette already in his mouth. He unloaded one of the bullets, examined it, and laughed.  
  
"These are just tranquilizer bullets! You put them all asleep!" snickered Wolfwood, showing Vash and then putting them back in her gun.  
  
"I'm. sorry. Thank you for saving me." said Vash, hanging his head.  
  
"That's alright." smiled Gami calmly.  
  
After Vash was done cleaning and bandaging her shoulder, Gami stood up and hugged Vash. He blushed and waved her off, laughing in the same insane way that made everyone around him laugh right along. His eyes had already regained their brightness and warmth. Gami laughed a little too hard, because she winced as her body reminded her of her injury. She grabbed Wolfwood with her un-injured arm and started struggling for breath.  
  
"I w-was. s-s-so scared. m-my arm hurts. s-so much.!!" panted Gami.  
  
"You are such a baby! You really haven't been shot before, have you?" grinned Wolfwood, shaking his arm to loosen her grip.  
  
Gami got up on her feet and turned back to Vash, rubbing the back of her head with her right hand.  
  
"I guess I have to get used to this. I didn't see it this time, I." Gami stopped herself.  
  
"Didn't see what?" Vash looked up at her.  
  
Gami turned away and adverted her gaze to the sand.  
  
"Nothing." was her only reply.  
  
Vash didn't really trust her response, but he did not press the issue. Gami hadn't realized that Vash had already heard the gun cocking, and indisputably would have been out of the way in time. But he didn't want Gami to feel as if she had been shot for nothing, so he just smiled and kept his mouth shut. He found this method worked in several situations.  
  
  
  
They were all very tired after the battle, so they said their good-nights and went their separate ways. Vash and Wolfwood ambled off towards their own hotel, but Gami just sat down on the bench behind the old fountain. The two gunman had only walked a few feet when Wolfwood turned his head, stopped, and held Vash's arm so he could not walk any further.  
  
"What?" yawned Vash, already tired and a bit annoyed.  
  
"Look." Wolfwood pointed, his eyes half-closed.  
  
Vash looked over his shoulder and saw the top of Gami's head just above the bench. He sighed and the two men walked back to the other side of the fountain. They found Gami curled up on the bench with her eyes closed, her oversized jacket hung over her body like a blanket. Vash knocked his fist on her head and she woke up suddenly, drawing her gun as a reaction.  
  
"What the Hell was that for?!" screamed Gami, pointing her black gun at Vash's forehead.  
  
"What are you doing? You're not actually sleeping here, are you?" asked Wolfwood with his arms crossed.  
  
Gami frowned and looked away in shame as she put away her gun. There was a red mark on Vash's forehead.  
  
"I need to save up what little money I have for food. I'm just fine." lied Gami, summoning up her dignity.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood looked at each other and grinned evilly.  
  
"Hey, you don't have to sleep there! You can stay with us!" yelled Vash, blushing again.  
  
Gami sat up and stared at the two men.  
  
"But. you won't. mind?" asked Gami hopefully.  
  
"Of course not!" Wolfwood and Vash said together.  
  
Gami looked at the ground, and then looked up and smiled.  
  
"Thank you." said Gami, standing up.  
  
"No problem!" grinned Wolfwood.  
  
"Our pleasure!" grinned Vash.  
  
Soon Gami, Wolfwood, and Vash had all climbed the roof and squeezed through the window, (not wanting to pay for another person or face the wrath of the insurance girls), and Gami was looking around the room. Vash and Wolfwood were bent over, looking for their sleep clothes.  
  
"Well, it looks comfy. I guess I'll just undress than!" smiled Gami.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash jerked their necks up so fast they both almost got whiplash. But Gami was only unpacking her weapons and keeping them in a neat pile.  
  
"Damn." muttered Vash and Wolfwood.  
  
"What was that?" called Gami, picking her head up.  
  
"Oh, nothing, nothing!" laughed Vash and Wolfwood.  
  
"Well, alright then. I'm going to change. Oh, and I'd like the bed by the window, if you don't mind." said Gami with a wink.  
  
"Okay!" Vash and Wolfwood said together.  
  
Gami took her pack into the small bathroom while Vash and Wolfwood changed out of their coats and put on loose t-shirts and loose-fitting cotton pants to sleep in.  
  
"Ummm, Wolfwood?" spoke up Vash.  
  
"Yeah?" said Wolfwood, placing his neatly folded clothes on a stool by the door.  
  
"There's only two beds." Vash pointed.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash stared at the bed by the window for a while, than they both dove at it madly. The black cat that was lying on it flew off in the madness and out the window.  
  
"Nyoow!"  
  
"Come on, Wolfwood. you can't be doing stuff like this. I thought you were a man of God!" growled Vash as her pulled on the bed with all his might.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with keeping warm at night. now let me have it!" bellowed Wolfwood as he pulled on his side of the bed.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash were still tugging on the mattress when Gami came out. She was wearing a loose, white tank top and slack, black cotton pants. The two men were struggling so hard they didn't even notice her walk in. She stared at the two guys with a sweatdrop on her brow.  
  
"I think I see what's going on..." growled Gami, her face slightly pink.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash stopped the second she spoke, dropped the mattress, and stood straightly, blushing.  
  
"Well since you guys can't decide who gets to sleep with me, I'LL decide for you!" yelled Gami.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood started pointing to themselves, grinning. Gami moaned with frustration.  
  
"You can sleep TOGETHER!! Or on the floor for all I care! Just don't come near me!" shouted Gami.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood were left to stare at each other as Gami climbed into her bed and turned out the light.  
  
"Good-night!" huffed Gami.  
  
Much to their displeasure, Vash and Wolfwood were forced to flip a coin to see who got the bed. Vash got lucky and won the bed, while poor Wolfwood was left with a blanket under him and a blanket over him on the floor. He fell asleep into his pillow hours later.  
  
Vash, although comfortable in his bed, did not sleep well. Haunting nightmares of his lost past stayed with him throughout the night, and Gami heard him weeping in his pillow. She got out of bed and bent over his shivering body. She sat on the bed beside him and pulled the covers up to his neck. Vash was still twitching, so Gami cleared her throat and began to sing softly as she twirled his hair and stroked his face.  
  
'Spend all your time waiting for that second chance. For a break that would make it okay. There's always some reason to feel not good enough, and it's hard at the end of the day. I need some distraction. oh, beautiful release. memories seep through my veins. It may be empty, oh, and weightless they may be. You'll find some peace tonight. In the arms of the angels, far away from here. From this star-cold mortality, and the airlessness that you feel. You were pulled from the wreckage, of your silent requiem. You're in the arms of the angels, may you find some comfort here.'  
  
  
  
Gami stopped singing when Vash was still in his blankets, breathing softly. Gami smiled and crawled back into her own bed. Wolfwood, who had one eye and one ear open, rolled over and drifted off to a dreamless sleep once more.  
  
  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
  
  
We all see life in different ways. through different windows. Some people have only one, some people have many. Some windows shut us in, others give us new views and ideas for our future. If you keep your windows open, someone's bound to come in sooner or later. For me it'll be sooner. If I can just keep them open.  
  
  
  
  
  
Episode 3 - Windows to the Blue Blue Sky  
  
  
  
  
  
At dawn, Gami awoke and saw Wolfwood on the ground. She sighed and got out of bed. She tip-toed over to her clothes and put them on after she had taken off her night clothes. She packed up her things and was about to leave the room when she noticed that Vash was not in his bed. She glanced around the room, and spotted him out the window, sitting on the roof, fully dressed. She sighed, put down her stuff and crawled out of the window to join him.  
  
"Morning, Vash! .What're you doing?" said Gami as she climbed out the window.  
  
Vash looked at Gami and smiled. She sat down next to him, cross-legged.  
  
"Thanks for singing for me last night. You have a beautiful voice." said Vash, turning his gaze back to the sky.  
  
Gami blushed. "Ack! You were awake?!" yelled Gami.  
  
"No. but I saw you in my dreams. Your voice made all of the pain go away." smiled Vash, rubbing his eye.  
  
"Well. thanks. I like singing, it-" started Gami.  
  
"What's the real reason you ran away from home?" asked Vash quickly.  
  
Gami glanced at Vash. He was gazing straight ahead, his chin resting on his arms, his arms resting on his knees.  
  
"What are you talking about? I already told you everything." said Gami, her eyes half-closed.  
  
"You're a good liar. but I know you're not the type of person who would run away just because she disagreed with her family." said Vash, looking straight at Gami.  
  
Gami reached into her coat and pulled out her hat that held up her hair when she put it on, but you couldn't see her eyes.  
  
"I left because I felt trapped. like an eagle in a cage. Do you know what it feels like to be trapped in a mansion, never allowed to go outside or even stick my head out a window? I needed freedom. but I don't think I'll ever get true freedom now." sighed Gami in a melancholy voice.  
  
"You're looking for a way to put your past behind you." Vash trailed off.  
  
"Exactly. It's hard to move on when you still have things holding you back." said Gami wisely.  
  
"I know what you mean." whispered Vash, resting his arms on his knees.  
  
"Ah, well. what're ya' gonna do?!" yelled Gami happily, slapping Vash on the back, almost knocking him off the roof. Her hat fell off beside her.  
  
"That's right, there's no use complaining about shit you can't change! You just have to look through a different window!" shouted Gami, stretching her legs out.  
  
".A different window?" asked Vash, re-seating himself on the edge of the roof.  
  
"Yeah. Stubborn, closed-minded people usually only look at the world in one way, so they have one window. usually a closed one. But intelligent, open- minded people have many windows, which are usually open. If you keep your options, or windows, open. people will come in. If you keep them closed. well, you'll end up pretty lonely. See what I mean?" said Gami, using her hands to talk.  
  
"Umm, sort of." said Vash, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Well, let's take you for example. In my opinion, you have about two windows. one is where you don't want to kill and you don't want anyone else to either. The other is the side of you that wants to punish the ones that do kill. Wolfwood is pretty stubborn, so he only has one window. he sees every situation as, 'there's no other way', or, 'the fewer the sacrifice, the better'. He finds a good reason for everything he does. even if they're horrible mistakes. Or at least that's my first impression of him. Me." trailed off Gami.  
  
Gami rested her head in her arms, which were resting on her knees. Vash stretched his longs legs and waited for Gami's response. His red coat made whipping sounds in the hot wind.  
  
"Let's just say I have too many windows to make good decisions. But you always have to look out new, brighter windows. or you'll end up a pessimist. Do you understand now?" smiled Gami.  
  
"Yeah. I guess I do." grinned Vash.  
  
There was silence for a little while, and the sun rose completely into the air.  
  
"I love the sky. on this desolate, pain-filled planet. with no green life or vegetation. I'm happy for a bright, blue sky to look at. There's just something about it that makes me happy." sighed Gami, staring off into nothingness.  
  
"Yes. .Did you.?" started Vash.  
  
Gami faced Vash, waiting for him to finish.  
  
"Do you know about Old Earth?" asked Vash.  
  
".Yeah, I do! My grandmother would tell me things about it. the trees, the flowers, the animals. she showed me many pictures in books. I loved her dearly, she was the only person whoever treated me like a human being. She taught me how to read and write. She taught me many things about Old Earth." reminisced Gami.  
  
"What else did she teach you?" asked Vash, smiling.  
  
"She taught me how to sing, do math, told me many lost stories. she must have had thousands of books in her library that her ancestors brought to this planet many years ago." sighed Gami.  
  
Vash stared at Gami for a while, pondering if he should ask the question he was about to ask.  
  
"Do you know how your ancestors got here?" Vash asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.  
  
Gami looked at Vash without expression.  
  
"Yeah. Project Seeds." said Gami emotionlessly.  
  
Vash's eyes slightly widened and he stared at Gami for a while, but turned his gaze back towards the sky and said nothing more on the subject. However Gami kept her eyes on him and smiled.  
  
"I'm going to tell you a secret, Vash. Promise not to tell anyone, okay?" giggled Gami, her finger over her mouth.  
  
Vash nodded enthusiastically. Gami leaned over and whispered into Vash's ear.  
  
"I can see into the future, and show others the past." whispered Gami slowly.  
  
Vash gasped and gawked at Gami as she backed up again. A short breeze flew by as one stared at the other.  
  
"You're. lying." stammered Vash, one eyebrow raised.  
  
"Why would I do that? Really, Vash, you should only accuse people of lying unless you know they could profit from it..." grumbled Gami.  
  
"What. h-how.?" stuttered Vash in bewilderment.  
  
"No one knows. It's a one-in-a-billion thing. I was born with it. That's why my family wouldn't accept me. I was. am. different. That is ALSO how I can dodge bullets so well. I see them in flight before they leave the gun. When I'm in a fight, I see only a few seconds or minutes into the future. when I'm really focused, sometimes I can see years into the future. So, no, I have no super-human abilities. just a freakish one." Gami explained with a bit of shame behind her voice.  
  
".." Vash was speechless.  
  
"But it depends on my mood. if I'm happy, like I am now. I can't see into the future. That's why I said, 'I didn't see it this time', after that idiot shot me. I was so happy that I had beaten the bounty hunters that I didn't bother looking at what was going to happen next." sighed Gami.  
  
"And. the past?" asked an eager Vash.  
  
"I just squeeze your forehead in my palm, concentrate real hard, and you start to see images, voices. Simple, really.. but it can only be my past, no one else's." said Gami with a smile.  
  
"That's amazing. I wouldn't call it freakish, though..." breathed Vash.  
  
"Yeah, wow, what an incredible gift of God!" yelped a cheery voice.  
  
Vash and Gami turned to see Wolfwood leaning out of the window, comfortably resting his chin on his hands.  
  
"Err, Wolfwood, how long have you been there?" asked Vash with a sweatdrop on his brow.  
  
"Well hey, let's see. I think it was a little bit before you started talking about me and my windows!" grinned Wolfwood.  
  
Vash had a sweatdrop, but Gami started laughing.  
  
"It's okay, Vash! I probably would have ended up explaining it to him anyway!" laughed Gami.  
  
Wolfwood climbed through the window with ease and walked up to his two friends.  
  
"Hey, Gami. I have a question." said Wolfwood, sitting next to Gami.  
  
"Yeah Wolfy?" grinned Gami.  
  
"You shot seven bullets out of both of your guns when you were fighting that bounty hunter last night. Or maybe it was just me?" asked Wolfwood with one eyebrow raised.  
  
Gami grinned and took her guns out of their holders on her shins. She handed the white one to Vash and the black one to Wolfwood. They inspected them with great interest.  
  
"Hand-made. the only seven-but-look-like-six-shooters on the planet. I think. Anyway, it fools all of the people who come after me, like our buddy 'Rush Rusher.' That's original, huh?" laughed Gami.  
  
"Heh, yeah." chuckled Vash.  
  
"Now I have a few questions." said Gami.  
  
Vash and Wolfwood turned her way.  
  
"Number one. what's wrong with you?" asked Gami, pointing her finger at Vash.  
  
Vash narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what Gami was talking about. the turmoil in his own heart. she had seen through him like so few had. She had fixed him with a knowing stare. knowing that there was something dark underneath his cheery complexion. Wolfwood looked around in confusion. Vash closed his eyes and shook his head. Gami smiled, but sighed deeply, as if she was disappointed.  
  
"Fair enough. now you, preacher man." pointed Gami.  
  
"Uhhh. yeah?" said Wolfwood sheepishly.  
  
"I thought it was God's job to punish the wicked." said Gami, pointing through the window to the Cross Punisher. Wolfwood laughed.  
  
"How'd you know it was a weapon?" asked Vash quizzically.  
  
"Ack! .You messed around with it?!" yelled Wolfwood, ceasing his laughter at once.  
  
"Nah, I was at the quick draw tournament in May City! You guys were really good at that 'faking death thing'. ya' know, with the tomato juice and all? Of course, I couldn't actually take part in the tournament because I was an outlaw, but apparently that doesn't go for everyone. " snickered Gami.  
  
Vash pointed to Wolfwood with an amusingly angry look while Wolfwood just chuckled. There was silence again for a while until Gami yelled and almost made everybody fall off the roof.  
  
"HEEEEEYYY!!! I've got an idea!" shouted Gami, standing up and throwing her arms to the sky.  
  
"Uhhh, what is that?" said Wolfwood, Vash clutched to his arm in shock.  
  
"I can tag along with you guys!" shouted Gami with a cheery smile.  
  
"What?!" yelled Vash and Wolfwood at the same time.  
  
"Well come one, you saw me shoot back there, I could use some practice with my aim! I need protection, and. stuff!" said Gami distantly.  
  
"Yeah, and by 'stuff', I bet you mean money!" said Wolfwood skeptically.  
  
Gami's face fell and she slowly sat down at the edge of the roof, her legs dangling over the side. Wolfwood and Vash stared at her as the sound of gentle sobs and sniffling came from Gami's back, which was facing them.  
  
"Oh, please." said Wolfwood, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Alright, you can come with us!! Just don't cry, PLEASE!" whined Vash, his tears pouring out like fountains.  
  
"What a kid." sighed Wolfwood, his eyes fixed on Gami.  
  
Gami stood up and turned around to face Wolfwood, a strangely wistful look on her face.  
  
"Come on now, Wolfwood. a kid isn't such a bad thing to be. You should know." grinned Gami, patting the top of his head.  
  
Wolfwood and Vash laughed heartily. They gradually got up and crawled back through the window, moaning about their empty stomachs. Gami decided to stay on the roof for a while. She watched Vash and Wolfwood goof around below her on the street as Vash fought Wolfwood for money for donuts yet again. She sniffled, and the gritty wind blew against her sun-colored cheeks. Her face cracked into a smile as she peered down at the street bellow her.  
  
'Vash. Wolfwood. you know that place between being asleep and awake? .That place where you can still remember your dreams?' Gami thought to herself.  
  
Vash grabbed Wolfwood's money, pushed him down, and made a mad break for the pastry shop, laughing insanely. In doing so he looked back up to Gami and waved at her. She smiled and waved back.  
  
"That's where I'll always love you. But not now, no. this world is too full of, ummm." said Gami, looking around.  
  
Gami looked up towards the sky and grinned. She stood up and spun around.  
  
"Heh. Blue funk!" laughed Gami.  
  
Gami jumped off the roof and landed softly on the ground. A black cat walked across the roof and sat where Gami was sitting and meowed loudly. She danced around the fountain, humming the tune to some long-forgotten song that no one else in the street that was listening had ever heard of.  
  
Lost technology.  
  
  
  
  
  
The End 


End file.
